A classic debate since the early days of Evanescence is whether or not the band is a Christian band at its core. For many, this may sound absurd; for others, it's obvious. But the question has its reasons.
Formation of Evanescence
Amy Lee and Ben Moody met in 1994 in Little Rock, Arkansas, at the ages of 13 and 14, when they were both at a Christian youth camp. There, they played piano and guitar, respectively. Lee and Moody joined forces because they felt they didn't "fit in quite well" at the camp, and from there they invited other classmates to play and create music.
The vocalist had the idea to create Evanescence and then, with Moody, began recording some songs. In the beginning, the duo sold CDs in the city of Little Rock, relying on local support and the different kind of music they were creating, combining rock, metal, and classical music.
Fallen and the Christian market
When they secured a contract with Wind-up Records, the company decided to test the Christian market by releasing the album Fallen (2003). During the release, Lee and Moody made it publicly clear in a 2003 interview that they were not a Christian or Christian rock band.
Lee said in an interview with NPR : “That wasn’t what our music was about. And I felt like they were selling someone something that wasn’t true.” She noted that Evanescence “was never a Christian band” and lyrically never had a religious affiliation.
Stranger Things magazine , before their success, Ben Moody said: “The message that we, as a band, want to convey more than anything is simple – God is love.” In the liner notes of Evanescence's debut album, the guitarist gave thanks to Jesus Christ: “All the life that remains in me is you,” he wrote.
When Fallen began rapidly climbing the charts around the world, Evanescence decided to completely break away from their niche.
An interview Amy Lee and Ben Moody gave to Entertainment Weekly (via Blabbermouth ) in April 2003 was the turning point. “There are people who are obsessed with the idea that we’re a Christian band in disguise and that we have some secret message,” said the vocalist. “We have no spiritual affiliation with this music. It’s simply a life experience… I guarantee that if the owners of Christian bookstores heard some of these songs, they wouldn’t sell the CD,” she stated.
Guitarist Ben Moody declared: “I’m not ashamed of my spiritual beliefs, but I in no way incorporate them into this band. In fact, we’re at the top of the Christian charts and I’m like, ‘What the hell are we doing there?’”. The musician, who ended up leaving the band shortly after, also provoked the Christian community by comparing himself to “the guy who was crucified next to Jesus” and stating: “All I want you to do is remember me.”
The comments prompted the record label president, Alan Meltzer , to send a letter to Christian radio and retail outlets, explaining that despite “the spiritual basis that sparked interest and enthusiasm in the Christian religious community,” Evanescence was “a secular band and, as such, sees its music as entertainment,” and the label therefore “strongly feels that they no longer belong in Christian retail stores.” After receiving the letter, many Christian radio stations removed songs from Fallen from their programming.
Amy Lee's comments following the success of Fallen
Shortly after, in an interview with VH1 , vocalist Amy Lee had the opportunity to comment on the controversy and acknowledged that Ben Moody's words were strong. She then denied that the band had ever tried to present themselves as a Christian group. "Certainly not. Other members of the band did. We've always had our own beliefs."
“I don’t think two people in the band think the same thing. In the past, other band members, whom I won’t name, have overstepped their boundaries in representing the band and spoken about their personal beliefs, and that has been projected onto the band’s beliefs. That’s not what this band is about. I don’t want to alienate anyone. If you get a Christian message from our music, great, that works for you. We’re just trying to write about our lives.”
READ ALSO: Evanescence: 5 interesting facts about the hit “Bring Me To Life”
